Basketball Powers Past Cedar Crest in Season Opener

November 15, 2014

BALTIMORE, MD – The College of New Rochelle used a dominant second half to earn an 87-61 win over Cedar Crest College in the Blue Angels' season opener at the Women's College Tip-Off Tournament, hosted by Notre Dame of Maryland University.

Senior Alyssa Pechin led all scorers with 25 points, adding game-highs with eight assists and five steals. Fellow senior Jah-Leah Ellis tallied a double-double with 23 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Rookie Hannah Cambel tallied 19 points in her collegiate debut, shooting 7-14 from the field and 5-9 from beyond the arc.

Breonna Lewis paced Cedar Crest (0-1) with 19 point and 10 rebounds.

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with neither team seizing control. Cedar Crest held the largest lead of the half, 35-30, with 3:57 left before the break following a Taylor Olsey jumper. Ellis hit a jumper as the first half ended to send CNR into the break with a 43-41 lead. Cambel made all five of her three pointers in the first half to help the Blue Angels take the lead at intermission.

CNR opened the second 20 minutes with a 9-1 run to open up a double digit (52-42) lead with 18:15 remaining and led by 10, 59-49, before embarking on a 14-0 run over the next four and a half minutes to open up a 24 point, 73-49, lead. The lead grew to as many as 30 en route to the 26 point victory.

The Blue Angels will take on the host Gators in the championship game Sunday at 3 p.m. as CNR looks to repeat as tournament champions.